CielOnTap wrote:Hackysack is a beanbag type game involved feet tossing the sack into the air to keep it in play.I guess that I had assumed that the slang/colloquilism of footy was a familiar or known term to English (UK) soccer fans. My apologies for leaping ahead on the terminology.

No apologies are needed. Quite the contrary. That's what's great about forums like this -- we learn new things. New vocabulary, for example. Nope, no apologies necessary at all.

In fact, beanbag was exactly the word I couldn't think of in that post up there.

"Hackysack" eh? That's cute. Sounds like when gravity is so strong around my bed in the morning and I can't get up.

HAVANA, Cuba: The unspoiled city of Havana, Cuba, was the setting for the second group of the Digicel Caribbean Championships’ Stage Two as four countries, speaking three languages, all spoke the universal language of football and played for a place in the DCC Finals.

Cuba (Spanish), Barbados (English), Suriname (Dutch) and Netherland Antilles (Dutch) came together over the course of three days to compete in Group G of the Digicel Caribbean Championships. While only two were successful in advancing to the DCC Finals, they all played great games of football which had the Cuba fans begging for more. http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/na/na.php?news_id=11820&start=0&category_id=11

Watching soccer on an island could be fun, if the temperatures are warmer there! The multilingual aspect of the championship would add some intrigue to the matches.

What did the viewers at home have to watch on television during the remainder of the airtime?

On the other hand, viewers are seeing disapproval of conduct from their television provider. After the Olympic games ended, there might have been an expectation to show spectator conduct worthy of television, as happened during the sport event of this summer.

Will someone arrange a soccer match between one of the Chinese soccer teams and an English soccer team? It might not be suitable for television but the spectators will have thoughts on that!

Drive from Johannesburg's main international airport into the city during rush hour, and the silver lining to the slow-moving traffic is that you get to study the hoardings advertising the forthcoming Gautrain.

The 80 kilometre railway system is a much-needed transport link, which, it is hoped, should be built in time to whisk World Cup 2010 visitors who have just touched down into town.

And, although it may be a tight squeeze to be ready in 18 months for the tournament kick-off - "blasting work here" signs still feature on the roadside - at least the 2010 organising committee has the power to influence the government on this.

Oh, I just realized that a FIFA U-20 (under 20 years old) Women's World Cup tournament is taking place in Chile this year. Today's story:

French rebound to go through France came from a goal behind to beat Argentina 3-1 in Santiago on Wednesday and put themselves through to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Chile 2008. The result, spurred in large part by the fine play of Eugenie Le Somme, also banished Argentina to an early exit from these youth finals.

It was the Europeans that were asking all of the early questions, putting Argentina under heavy pressure from the start. But it was the South American who managed to get the ball in the net first. After the French wasted a handful of clear chances in the early going, the Albiceleste made them pay just before the half. Florencia Jaimes headed home a Carina Nunez free kick in the 42nd minute to put the Argentines ahead well against the run of play and with virtually their only chance of the opening period. http://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/matches/round=250257/match=300066360/summary.html

Definitely need to find out if any of the matches are televised here in North America!

FIFA SUSPENDS FEUDING PERU FROM INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLTHE CANADIAN PRESS11/25/2008 9:22:19 AMZURICH, Switzerland - FIFA suspended Peru from international football Tuesday because the government is feuding with the national federation.

Football's world governing body gave the sides a month to settle their differences before its executive committee discusses the issue at a meeting Dec 19-20 in Tokyo. It could choose to expel Peru entirely.

FIFA rules prohibit political interference in football affairs, but Peru's government has refused to recognize the election of Manuel Burga as president of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF).

Nigeria, England, USA and France all booked passage to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Chile 2008 on Wednesday. The Americans go through as Group B winners despite losing to China, while New Zealand conceded an agonising late goal against the English to miss out on becoming the first team from their island nation to reach the knockout phase of a FIFA finals.

Drogba was reported to have held a meeting with Inter sporting director Marco Branca and Jorge Mendes, agent of the club's manager Jose Mourinho, over a possible move to the Serie A champions.

The 30-year-old was linked with a host of clubs in the close-season, fuelling speculation that he was keen to quit Stamford Bridge, and this latest report could have been interpreted by Scolari as another attempt to engineer a move. But the Blues manager has no intention of calling Drogba in for showdown talks.

Scolari is quite someone to watch during a World Cup or EuroCup event-very animated coach on the sidelines.

Now, an update on U-20 Women's World Cup action:

Last eight roll call complete(FIFA.com) Friday 28 November 2008The identity of the eight sides who will contest the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Chile 2008 has now been revealed. Thursday's four games saw Japan and Germany clinch their places from Group C, while Brazil and Korea DPR also won to advance from Group D. FIFA.com rounds up all the highs and lows from Matchday 6 of the competition.

Germany and Canada put on quite a show for the fans in Coquimbo, serving up a dramatic finale to cap an exciting encounter. Needing to win to go through, the Canadians pushed hard but it was the attack-minded Germans who dominated and created the better chances. McNulty's unfortunate own goal 13 minutes from time looked to have sealed the Canucks' fate. Lam-Feist gave them renewed hope, however, before Schwab snuffed out Canada's hopes with a late winner.